#khasi

Welcome to Kongthong, the remote mountain village in Meghalaya, India, where people don’t just say names… they sing them. This unique tradition is called Jingrwai Iawbei — a system of name-melodies created by mothers at birth and used every day to call their children. In this documentary, we lived with the Khasi community, one of the few matrilineal societies in the world, where the bond with the ancestral mother (Iawbei) structures family, clan, and cultural identity. Through interviews, immersive soundscapes, and field recordings, we explore how this practice continues to thrive — not as folklore, but as a living part of daily life. In Kongthong, sound is a social foundation: it’s how children are called, clans are recognized, and the maternal line is renewed. And as long as these melodies keep echoing between the houses, the story of the Khasi people doesn’t need to be told — it can simply be heard.

Khasi woman's dress, India, by Wann Majaw

Hello! Are you from Kashi and searching for a bride or groom from your city? These days, finding the perfect match is not easy! and it’s even harder when you’re looking within a specific caste or community. But marriage is a lifelong journey, and we shouldn’t settle. It’s a big decision, and we must think carefully before taking that step. Now, with Matchfinder, things have become easier. You can find a suitable bride or groom from Kashi. Register now on https://www.matchfinder.in/matrimonial/khasi-matrimony

Loved Funeral Nights? Read the author's interview where he talks about the process of writing his tome, Meghalaya, and the book being called Moby Dick of India by Jerry Pinto.